Seven unconventional uses for excess hand cream

It’s never intentional but often inevitable. Unused items have a way of piling up in the dusty corners of cabinets and closets. These things can be left untouched for years, forgotten in favor of newer, shinier brands.

This is something I find particularly true with lotion, of all things. I’m very picky about my moisturizers, especially in Japan where the majority of which contain unnecessary whitening. But so many beauty kits come with their own bottles of hand cream, and lotion itself is one of those go-to gifts when shopping for a distant friends. In the end, I find myself with bottles upon bottles of unopened hand creams all going to rot in the back of my closet, and apparently I’m not the only one with this particular problem. Like an answer to prayer, the people over at Naver Matome recently released a list of additional uses for the lotion cluttering our cupboards, as suggested by Japan’s creative, frugal few. Here it is: seven unconventional uses for excess hand cream.

1. Keeping your hands clean
This one may not seem too far off from the regular function of hand cream. The procedure is certainly the same, but the purpose is all different. Basically, if you spread lotion on your hands before going out and getting your hands dirty, the oils make it harder for grime to stick to your hands. And, even if your hands do get a bit messy, the lotion makes it easier to wash the dirt off.

2. Smoothing split ends
After washing your hair, smooth a small bit of hand cream into the tips while it’s still damp. Just make sure that you don’t use too much. Most lotion contains a lot of oil, and soaking up too much oil will make your hair look clumpy and unclean.

3. Controlling static on your skirts
If you have a problem with your clothes clinging to you while you walk, try putting on a pair of tights or panty hose. Then coat your hands in a thin layer of lotion and swipe it down the length of your legs two or three times. This should lessen the friction between your skirts and your hosiery, preventing the buildup of static.

4. Cleaning stains on leather
If something has gotten your leather goods messy, try putting a dab of hand cream on the corner of a spare cloth and wipe away the stain with polishing motions. Just be careful: not all lotions will react well to the leather, so test it out on an inconspicuous spot before doing it for real.

5. Removing tacky price stickers
Don’t you hate it when your brand new purchase is ruined by the sticky remains of some hard-to-remove price sticker? Next time that happens, try smearing lotion over the top of the sticker. Leave it like that for about three minutes and then gently rub at it. Wash away the remains with water, and your item should be sticker free!

6. Restoring old suction cups
Hand cream is good for not only taking things off but for sticking them on! Spreading a thin layer of lotion over the surface of an old suction cup fills in the gaps and smooths over any rough patches, restoring its ability to stick to things.

7. Revitalizing your scissors
If your scissors have gone dull but you need to make a quick cut, spread a thin layer of lotion along the edge of the blade then open and close the scissors a few times. Be sure to wipe away the lotion before going to use them.

If you have your own special uses for excess hand cream, let us know in the comments. Together, we can deplete our stores of unwanted lotion!